Dickens vs Tolstoy featuring Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton
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- Опубликовано: 20 ноя 2018
- The Battle Of The Great 19th-century Novelists with Professor John Mullan arguing for Dickens and historian Simon Schama arguing for Tolstoy. Bringing their arguments to life with readings we had Tom Hiddleston, star of Marvel's Thor and The Avengers, and Zawe Ashton, acclaimed for her roles in Fresh Meat and Wanderlust. The debate was chaired by Bonnie Greer.
Dickens. Tolstoy. Their names and reputations shake the ground - and so do their books, if you drop one. They are the two greatest novelists from the century when novels were really great. Both captured their countries’ very souls and, as vastly influential social reformers, savagely criticised them as well. But whose legacy is more enduring? Whose vision truer and more relevant today? Should you embark on War and Peace or Our Mutual Friend?
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Let's be honest here. They knew exactly what they were doing when they put Tom Hiddleston in the thumbnail.
I was looking for this comment. Yes.
Lmao
i know right?
No doubt.
Yes. However, when I saw his photo along with the title I did not think of Loki (of whom I am a big fan.) Instead, I harkened to the serious and award-winning stage work he has done. And when I saw the rest of his company I was hooked and very much enjoyed the entire lecture/performance.
I think Hiddleston has a future as a teacher of the classics if he ever decides to hang up the acting hat.
I would trade countries and go back to school just for that.
That he would, that he would
He really does. His enthusiasm for classical literature is pretty much unrivaled. It'd probably be a really fun class, tbh.
There seems to be some confusion in the replies to this. His degree in classics is Classics as in the sense of Greco-Roman literature and history, not what we consider classical literature, not anything that really has to do with debate.
Damn. He looks great. I guarantee no student would be able to concentrate in his class.
I am so glad Tom Hiddleston still does stuff like this. I like him in his movies, but I think he shines best in the classics.
He is one such classy himself 😎
Yeah, Mr. Timothy West - Great Actor!
Tolstoy and Dickens are not classics...they were written in the Victorian period
@@SS-nx2xx They obviously meant classic novels...
Tbh Hiddleston is not that great of an actor. I mean, at the war horse it was so bad it was painful to watch. It was a running joke that the horse acted better
if i got a penny for everytime i've watched something i wouldn't normally watch because tom was in it, i'd be a millionare.
Same here. Actually, quite possibly more than that. I spend a lot of time watching things I wouldn't normally watch because he's in them.
LMAO
@@silverhawking Same.
Lol true, i would never watch anything like this, but clicked because of tom. Whoever decided to put his face on thumbnail did a great job.
Well, if it will bring someone to Tolstoy it is good-). I actually always wonder, why people consider War and Peace hard to read, sophisticated etc. in Russian-speaking countries we have (at least we had, ... ) to read it in school and damn idiots kept complaining that W and P it is too long. Whereas apparently War and Peace is as entertaining as Game of Thrones. Battles, noble families, charismatic and diverse characters, historical stuff, all that. And whereas War and Peace is entertaining his short stories and novels are heartbreaking, he gives this image of social inequality and absurdity of the war with such passion and such high-quality art; I remember starting reading these short novels/stories accidentally, they r not as have-to-read as War and Peace; so I've just found the book with his short novels on the bookshelf and Haji Murat makes reader to shiver, this scene of aul (village) devastation...even in English translation... is so powerful...as the whole Haji Murat novel itself...I think when Hiddleston was reading this part of Haji Murat it was possible to see how listeners hold their breath...and also all his short stories about Crimean war. And Tolstoy actually is more pleasant to read than Dostoevsky, because he is kinder to all of his characters. He always tries to show the lighter side, like for example Anatol in War and Peace is a nastiest jerk possible, but when he suffers terribly (they are cutting his leg without anesthesia) in the hospital we can see how pain turns him (the nastier human being in the book) into just a suffering human and we stop hating him as well as Andrey stops to hate him. And importantly the quality of Tolstoy prose loses nothing when translated into English, because his prose is just so humane and universal and powerful and easy to translate...
I'm a simple woman. I see Tom, I click. Never disappointed.
Yeah, you do sound pretty simple.
classic.
😆 LOL good point!
this.
How relatable :D haha.. Tom is one of the best
So I’m one of the more annoying people who came because I saw Tom Hiddleston
FAIRY TAIL SQUAD 👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆
same. i literally didn’t know what it was about but i saw tom so i clicked
Count me in too.
You are not alone.
I saw Tom Hiddleston I clicked.If that makes me shallow so be it lol
OMG MEE TOOO!!! BUT IT WAS VERY INTERESTING though becouse am reader and I have read both tolstoi and Dickens.. But as soon as I saw Tom I just cliked fast as I could!!! And his voice reading it was heaven!!!
i feel smart and stupid at the same time while watching this.
Agreed
I agree 🥴👍
Same
Same
Why would you feel stupid? If you're enjoying it it doesn't matter.
I came here for Tom Hiddleston, I stay for the performances.
@Reema Ameer I've seen him too (even noticed the moment when he took off his jacket)
Reema Ameer you can never miss a hiddleston
Precisely
Same mate
No wonder Zawe and Tom are dating, they're both classic literature nerds and amazing actors. Good on them!
Everyone: I came for Tom
Me: I see Tolstoy I click
Hahahhaha thats me
same
I came here for all three... 😶
Me:I see Charles Dickens I click😂
Same! 😂
Tom: "abandon everything and fly away with me"
Me: Yes
I'm a huge Hiddleston fan and love that he does these. It brings literature, plays, etc that normally fans wouldn't know to a wider audience.
Yes, indeed.
Did he do any others? If so, could someone PLEASE tell me some? I need more.
Y e s!
Who,? Tom who?
I only knew him as a poetry reader originally, had no idea he was an actor when I first stumbled across his readings years ago. I still don't know that I've ever seen anything he's been in, but I also love that some people who may have never been interested in certain literary works may have been introduced to them because of him, Helena Bonham Carter, Jeremy Irons, Michael Caine, and others who do these kinds of panels and readings.
You can't just choose one. Dickens vs Tolstoy, is just like... Tom Hiddleston or Benedict Cumberbatch, you can't just choose one because they both brilliant
great comparison
totally agree, lol
Crap they are perfect 🥰
True that's right 🤩
DICKENS
Time stamps!
Charles Dickens
(12:48-18:40) Great Expectations performed by Zawe Ashton, Timothy West, and Kit Kingsley.
(21:10-22:55) Bleak House performed by Tom Hiddleston
(25:10-30:25) Great Expectations performed by Zawe Ashton, Julia Sawalha, and Timothy West.
(33:15-37:55) David Copperfield performed by Zawe Ashton, Julia Sawalha, Timothy West, and Kit Kingsley.
Leo Tolstoy
(44:45-47:25) Hadji Murat performed by Tom Hiddleston
(53:23-58:38) Anna Karenina performed by Julia Sawalha and Zawe Ashton
(1:00:12-1:04:50) Anna Karenina performed by Tom Hiddleston and Julia Sawalha
(1:06:00-1:10:20) Anna Karenina performed by Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton
(1:13:02-1:19:40) War and Peace performed by Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton
Em Cee thanks
Wow thank you, this is exceptionally helpful👏🏼💕
Thank you so much! I really, really needed this.
You're a hero. Thanks!
Thanks
I am Russian, never ever heard Tolstoy in English before. Wow! It was very interesting and absolutely unique experience for me.
Я думала я одна такая)))😂
Привет, русский человек)
Does English translation do justice to original? Which one is better..?
@@nuri2318 original is way more better
Yes, but Dostoyevsky is more intuitive, better at everything, not a dilettante, like the dear Count!
@@MJ-py7ml 👋
My personal opinion is that Dickens is much better at writing joy, while Tolstoy is a master of suffering. That is not to say that either is poor at the opposite emotion; just that it's like comparing a great rock guitarist with a spectacular concert pianist: they are different pleasures for me.
Dostoevsky is a true master of suffering, don't ever try reading him while having any symptoms of depression. Tolstoy is more of a moralist, especially after going vegeterian
Popular opinion in Russia is that Tolstoy have much «water» in his works .
Kate Zebra not “water”, but gigantic expositions and extremely large sentences
Dickens and joy are oxymorons. Even his children's stories are depressing, the children die.
@sochuiwon priscilla I think there should be a warning on his books 'not suitable for those in depression'
Yeah, I love Tom too but can we talk about how awesome Zawe Ashton is here?
All the actors are top notch!
Yes!
Never liked her acting.
Dreadful monotone acting, especially in contrast to Julia S.
She's great but Velvet Buzzsaw was terrible
Came here for the debate and was surprised to see Hiddleston on the stage; on this note: Damn it, Tom, you handsome bastard.
Right, everyone else came for him and I didn't even notice the thumbnail. Glad Tolstoy won.
@@TianaLuo Same here , I came for the debate and then noticed Tom was there. Maybe it was the selection but for me Tolstoy won.
No wonder Tom is dating Zawe. They both can talk about classics and theatre for their rest of their lives without being tired ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I’m so happy for Tom and Zawe! Things are going so well for him! He’s engaged to her and she’s pregnant now with his child ❤️
Woah, I'm blown away by Zawe. Her voice is so melodious, I love it.
WOOOOOOOW😯That young boys performance was INCREDIBLE there is almost no words to Express how good he is
I agree! hope he has an acting career ahead of him
You will probably never read this, but here goes:
1, I agree, the very young man 👨 has a very strong & very good career ahead of him, possibly a great career, that supports that talent.
2. Hiddleston, so very gifted, is in a company of other very great talents. Iron sharpening iron, i.e. giving wonderful performances because one is in the great talents. Support and encouragement (even competitions) to do even better than you've done before.
3. See how wonderful the classics are with marvelous 😍 acting? Americans do not have a real grasp of the classics, or they would be performed much more, everywhere. And young people would be frequently treated to them on stage, in movies & television, and on the radio. I don't suppose drama classes are given in schools anymore; giving school plays of Dickens, Tolstoy, Shakespear, Chekov, all the Great Ones. Plays like The Glass Menagerie, Richard III... We all learn so much from them, help us to look at who & what we are, help us develope self-insight and sensitivity to others. We have dumbed down as a group of humans.
i was litterly looking for this comment , the young man actually nailed the acting and was so muture through out the debate which is so admirable kudos to him
Extremely impressive ! I couldn't agree more
I always knew Tolstoy would win. There is something raw about his writing that just resonates with everybody.
Also, Tom Hiddleston my love thanks for choosing Tolstoy.
Spoilers, ahem
I was so happy he chose him! I voted for Tolstoy since the beginning. All the respect for great Dickens though. :)
@@Weronika-ev4gp yeah same.. I love Dickens too. A tale of two cities is one of my favourite books but Tolstoy wins my heart.
@@tusharmusale8739 oops, sorry 😅
What? The dilettante Count won? We needed Dostoyevsky urgently!
Came to appreciate Tom Hiddleston, stayed to appreciate the other incredible players. Great company indeed. Such extraordinary performances.
it is wonderful to see a famous actor taking part in such event. Tom is always perfect and wonderful.He is a smart and intelligent person
Great moderator, great panel, awesome vibe, even the fact that you are spending good 90 minutes whatching quality stuff about 19 century literary greats in 21 century feels like a rebelion .
Well, let me join in
¡Viva la Revolución!
You are so accurate! Bravo
i came here for Tom Hiddleston, stayed for Tolstoy.
same :)
Joy, great joy that Tom Hiddleston finally found a woman to love who is exactly as geeky as him.
Hahar yes 😊
Dostoevsky: Hold my beer...
Absolutely! Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, The Devils and Brothers Karamazov are the greatest crime mysteries in the entire Russian literature. That being said, I read War and Peace once a year, omitting all the Masonic chapters!
Dostoevsky: Hold my fear-stricken guilt
His characters are unrealistic to me
@@tripp8833 That's because you don't know Russian Society. Those unrealistic characters are very realistic to Russians and surrounding countries(because of the occupation). I don't know where you are from, but I'm speaking as Georgian(Country).
@@nikolozjalabadze I doubt alyosha or prince Myshkin are realistic characters. Sorry. Never been to Russia but I bet they're still human at the end of the day
I saw Tom participating in Dickens vs Tolstoy. Once I realized they had them being read against each other, my nerd girl got all happy and stayed for the entirety.
There is nothing better than a middle-aged, good-looking man who is into classic literature and has an accent. I am dead
Well I'm a simple girl. I saw Tom Hiddleston, I jumped in.
47:34 I really enjoy the way Mr. Schaman holding Tolstoy's works with lots of bookmarks. It shows his passion for Tolstoy and adds more validity in his speech.
The birth scene was so epic. They did so good on their act. They’re all so good lol.
They really did.
Now it's going to really happen
When life imitates art…
This is one of the most intellectual videos I've ever seen, and one of the most British videos as well.
Edit: At the end of each performance of both Dickens and Tolstoy I have come to the conclusion that I can not choose who is I guess better. They are both brilliant writers.
Hiddles aside, that is, focusing on the conversation and not fan-girling, I realize that I much prefer Tolstoy's writing to Dickens.
And this is why I adore this man so much. He's not just a pretty face but has a brilliant mind as well as a generous heart.
Have you ever told Simon how you feel?
sorry, who? :)
so you wrote this and the only thing I could think about was Tom hiddleston :)
@@amandaperez8776 he's exactly who I was talking about
It's why we love him so much.
That little boy was amazing. He's so cute and talented.
It looks like Tom's had his own kind of catharsis and revelation after reading that bit about Pierre.
Loki!
And now they are having a BABY!!
I dont understand why there has to be a battle. Literature is a calm and lush garden. Let's enjoy all of it.
Obviously people love contests and "conflict". Would this many people have shown up if it was one professor giving a lecture? At least it is exposing thousands of people to 2 amazing authors they might never have heard of or read.
With all due respect, I wholeheartedly disagree. Literature is a battlefield where words are ammunition and authors are soldiers ripping at each other's throats for the public's attention and praise.
@@112steinway I will keep friends with you.
Agreed. I am enjoying it too. I love both, can never choose anyway😁
It's not a battle :D It is a debate. In which people culturaly talk about their opinions, is it not? :D
This battle was such an absolute privilege to watch in person. Thank you for the epic debate to the participants and for the fantastic entertainment to the actors. I am happy for the opportunity to watch this over and over again. :)
where did it take place? how much does it cost?
@@vaibhavgupta20 London, 30 pounds
Everything from the arguments and the analysis provided by those two brilliant pofessors, to the actors' performances was a real joy to witness. Dickens, Tolstoy, John Mullan, Simon Schama, Tom Hiddleston. What a spectacular combination of remarkable people. Thank you for sharing this!
Though I obviously came here for Tom Hiddleston, I was pleasantly surprised to see Julia Sawalha, who I knew from BBC's Pride and Prejudice.
Aaah I knew she looked familiar
I have to admit I've never read Tolstoy. After this debate I will definitely check him out.
I love the debate and both gentlemen. They debated beautifully.
The cast performed beautifully.
I am grateful that this video was uploaded for us to watch.
First see movies - Anna Karenina and War and Peace. Tolstoy is Russian, and not Jewish writer and presenter did him disservice. Shama used stage to present his propaganda and not Tolstoy brilliance, In his introductory statement Shama said that he prefers Dickens to Tolstoy, so why he was selected to present Tolstoy?.
@@CaliforniaGirl-qk5kq Thank you so much. I will definitely check out those movies.
emily yarbrough Anna Karenina! It’s wonderful
Check out Resurection
Maybe because I'm older I should try Anna Karenina again. I tried many times as a teen. I just couldnt get past the first part.
You know you're a great actor, when you get "thumbs up" from Tom Hiddleston.
Watching this when it first came out, I’m not surprised Tom and Zawe became a couple. They have soo much chemistry here.
There are pictures of Tom speaking to Zawe's father at this event, I'm convinced they were already dating especially if you look at pictures from them at a Pinter event a few weeks prior
Bleak House is one of the books by Dickens I actually enjoyed. But Tolstoy just resonates with me. I remember reading Anna Karenina in a Russian literature course at university and just being blown away at Tolstoy's ability to capture human emotion. Actually, all of the Russian writers are brilliant. Dostoevsky is my personal favorite. Chekhov gave us great plays and the awesome rule of writing now termed "Chekhov's gun." Turgenev is a lesser known writer who packs a powerful wallop in Fathers and Sons. I could go on.
Tolstoy of course
Is that you in your profile picture?
Let me just hug you, wonderful person!
@@sandjoons Yeah, that's me with Tom.
@@user-fm3ti6eg1d Sure, I'll take any digital hug! LOL
And the winner is... Dostoevsky.
Exactly what I have thought)))
Absolutely! His novels and Pushkin's works are the pinnacles of Russian literature!
@@annatamparow4917 "You and Thou" is hilarious though.
No he is not. Tolstoy is a complete winner.
@wings of a butterfly have you ever read Tolstoy and Dostoevsky? I bet u never did. Probably you have heard somewhere about Dostoevsky so now u r just pretending that you have read it. Lol. You, with your walnut-sized brain are capable only of reading comic books for kids (well, I doubt even that).
Came here for Tom, but found Zawe. Grate job you guy's 👏👏👏👏all of you.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👍👍
When books are read aloud the weight of emotion is so heavy and beautiful. It's like the sound of an old friend but with a new face.
I was so happy when Hiddleston said Tolstoy was his favorite at the end
Marshall Zane Quite disgraceful for someone who read Classics at university: Dostoyevsky, Turgenev and Gogol needed honourable mentions, too!
I came for Tom but Zawe is AMAZING!!!
I confess that I came here for Tom Hiddleston, but Julia Sawalha is so underrated
So underrated!
Saw Tom Hiddleston on Broadway. Such a gentleman and absolutely charming.
If Tom ever decides to become a Professor of Classics (his degree) or Literature, I will move to whatever city he's teaching in and enroll in his classes!
But you cannot choose between the two authors because both are amazing. You just can't.
You easily can. If you read their works properly and not engaging in demagogy.
58:25 i think they just captured the moment tom fell in love with zawe🥺❤️❤️look at his bottom lip shivering seeing her so sad😭😍
Kit Kingsley is such a great actor allready. I hope to see more of him as he grows up.
Zawe Ashton is such an amazing actress. Her work is incredible
I love Tom's and Zawe's chemistry.
I'm pretty sure they love it too 😂😉
@@maggiemcfly5267 LOL 😆
Me too! Now they deservedly live happily ever after!💖 I feel they are made for each other especially when portraying flawlessly Pierre and Natasha in the reading of War and Peace!🥰👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
However, the paparazzi should leave them alone🙄😔
A "fog off"! Lol! Perfect!
And I love watching Tom's face in the background as he watches the other performers.
I loved that this debate was perfectly rational and both "opponents" not only liked both sides of the argument but liked each other. They were polite and convincing. I needed this passion to get me interested in reading either author again. I struggled with liking Dickens for a long time and Tolstoy was someone I keep picking up and giving up on. This is helpful to inspire me to continue through them.
My teen son likes super heroes although he said “ boring” he continued watching as he was seeing Loki in a different way, great way to introduce classic to young generation. Brilliant
Oh wow I clicked because I saw Tom Hiddleston but it's midnight and this is 1 hour and a half long and he wants us to take care of ourselves so guess I'm getting a good night of sleep and watching this while I eat breakfast tomorrow
Tom Hiddleston is a National Treasure ❤️
I came here for Tom but I stayed out of my curiosity and amazement of this debate. I dont know much about older literature, but this is great. It makes me feel smart lol
What a treat it truly is hard to chose between Dickens and Tolstoy. I love the humor and crazy names dickens comes up with. But the most moving moment is just Tom reading Tolstoy
30:33 Tom takes of his jacket. Not that anyone cares really...
WendyWindsor actually I just asked that above, thx I will watch whole thing though
thanks!
Not all heroes wears capes. Or jackets.
Anybody know the band of sweater/shirt he is wearing? It looks like absolutely swank!
Omg I was searching the entire video for the moment he took his jacket off. I wish I had seen this comment before all the hardwork I did. XD
This just made me realize something. I never felt the need to fight for or defend my opinion when it comes to art I enjoy. So many people do this, especially these days online, but I feel quite content liking what I like and not having anyone giving me reasons why I am wrong to like that particular piece of art. It has become so normal for us to let strangers form our opinions and taste that this realization is almost liberating.
*sees thumbnail*: IS TOM HIDDLESTON GIVING A LECTURE ON LITERATURE???
*clicks play*: OH HE'S ACTING OUT LITERATURE.
*introduces actors*: hmmm, downplaying the hiddlefame are we? okok...
*other actors start acting*: ohh, they're pretty good! this kid is a star!
*partway through:*These ladies are fantastic, but why is Tom being so criminally underused?
*by the end:* OH... TOM JUST KILLED ME. A few times. That's why.
*conclusion: *the Tolstoy advocate was a better speaker and Tolstoy may have been a better writer exploring complex characters but his books are complex without a knowledge of Russian culture and history. Dickens was a little too absurd at times but much more relateable and more colorful and wonderfully true-to-life with his quirks of nature. It's a little like DC vs. Marvel. In the end, I think Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte must win.
edit: of course tom picked tolstoy. of course he reads russian literature. BUT EVERYONE HAS LIKE 12 NAMES AND 8 TITLES,
ohifonlyx33 That sums it up pretty much, yes. The part before conclusion, obviously. My thoughts exactly, and in the same order and timing :)
Can't relate to the last two bits though, Толстой is one of my favourite writers.
@@katearcher8514 I tried to read Tolstoy once... I guess I am just to stupid. I think it would help if I were familiar with Russian history and culture.
Oh, don't be so harsh on yourself. To be honest, I'm not that familiar with Russian history, and culture's changed drastically since the times Tolstoy describes. It helps to try and find one appealing angle in his books. When I was 16 it was the Santa-Barbara-like relationships that interested me the most. On the second time I found internal struggles, feelings and challenges of characters the most relatable. On the third I discovered profound phylosophical ideas. And closer to 30 I finally came to understanding of the whole historical part in its complexity. Well, not even understanding, more appreciating really. If you'd want to give it another try, there are a lot of plot lines in "War and Peace" you could interest yourself with, giving less attention to other parts. As far as I know, many people read it this way, returning again later for something new. And even more people haven't read the whole thing at all :)
Sorry for the longread and my broken English, it's just not everyday there's a chance to discuss such matters :)
@@katearcher8514 You're English is not half so broken as you think! Quite the opposite. :) So a few years ago I tried to keep up with Anna Karenina. I had even watched the movie just to get a basic idea of who the characters were/what it was about... and I just couldn't follow the characters. They simply had too many names and titles. Of course times have changed since any of these great authors wrote these great classics. But with authors like Dickens and Austen, I have some sort of idea of "customs" and what is and is not proper. It feels familiar. But for one thing, I was really thrown by the title of Princess being used, and I wasn't entirely sure what kind of government even existed at that time.
@@ohifonlyx33 yeah, I suppose it's lost in translation. We actually never had princes. The term in Russian is 'knyaz', but it doesn't quite roll off the tongue, does it ) they had been all of royal blood, sons, grandsons and brothers of emperors, but at some point it became a granted title, so anyone with lands and authority could be knyaz. So at the time in question it had very little to do with being royal. Now I see it's messed up )
As for the names, there are first name, family name and the person's father's name, which goes after the first name and ends with 'vich' or 'vna' depending on the gender. I'm not very good with names myself, so I read them once and then only register the first letter and the length, recognizing the character by the general look of the name. Don't know if it's helpful in any way, just a fun fact I guess :)
Thank you so much for your kind words. It's fun to speak about something nice and cultural for a change, and on RUclips comment section of all places :) That's all Tom, that's the way he inspires people, right? :)
Attended for Tom Hiddleston, but the prospect of seeing Timothy West was a bonus. It was such an absolute joy to watch all the actors give amazing performances and to listen to intelligent people debate great literature. I'm a Dickens fan, but I loved watching Simon Schama, so charismatic. So happy that you filmed this so we can relive that wonderful evening.
that lady who is playing kitty a is very good actor.
And yet Zawe Ashton didn't move you enough to get her name. ;)
have seen her anywhere else?
She will play the wife of Tom Hiddleston's character in Hiddleston's next stage performance
I disagree, she didn't play Kitty well. If you read the book , Kitty is very young at that moment and her intonations should be more soft, and she should have more of aristocratic bearing. The actors performance and intonations are too modern and they fail to transmit the vibe of the Russian aristocrats.
I agree
Came here for Tom, stayed for knowledge. Thank you so much for this content
58:27 Tom is really feeling it.
ok but the little boy is amazingly talented! i was literally blown away!!
The whole debate was pure pleasure to listen and to watch! Thank you so much!
p.s. with immense respect and gratitude from Russia.
After infinity war, Loki took up this 😂
Loki is getting his own tv show
I mean, how else did he make The Tragedy Of Loki Of Asgard so good???
@@viceliag3916 Yup. Poor Loki.. 🙁
He's hiding out here
Loki was using a form of astral projection, to distract the drones. Like Jesse Ventura would do.
I was in the audience for this, it was such an awesome night. Was a shame the ballot box came around before the debate was truly over. The reading & performance of Levin & Kitty's birth scene, I believe, was what swung it.
Thank you for posting this.
And thank you RUclips... for putting ads in the middle of the dramatic readings.
Tom Hiddleston is absolutely an excellent actor.
I didn't even read the title I just saw Tom and clicked on it The internet knows what's it's doing!
I have never even read Tolstoy but as a millennial, I felt sooo drawn to the stores that these incredible actors showed, that I might just pick up one of his books and read.
Clicked because I saw Tom on the thumbnail, but blown away by each of the actors! They're all great!
Why not Tolstoy vs. Dostoevsky? Would’ve been a better matchup in my opinion. Both were way more “serious” writers than Dickens.
Michael Wu I see what you’re saying; however, I think that what makes this a more fascinating debate is the differences between Dickens and Tolstoy. Perhaps one is more serious, perhaps one is less so. But the point is not to compare two similar styles, but to dive into which of the two very different styles has a longer lasting or more impactful legacy. That’s what makes the debate even more challenging and thus more interesting.
Amanda Marie Thank you for the comment; I agree with you. However, I am more interested in the question of who SHOULD have a longer and more impactful legacy. And I think that concerning the improvement of personal morals, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky are more relevant and thus more deserving of debate. What do you think?
Edit: I’m not saying that Dickens is shallow or anything like that. He is very penetrating in terms of social issues.
If you think Tolstoy is more "serious" than Dickens, you haven't read enough Dickens.
Julian Perhaps they are both equally serious. But I still think Tolstoy explores deeper topics with a grander scope, such as the philosophy of war and history in the later chapters of War and Peace. I know this is cherry picking but the Encyclopedia Brittanica says “It can be argued that no single English novel attains the universality of the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace.” www.britannica.com/art/English-literature
Just Getting By I don’t see your point. Harriet Beecher Stowe also left an everlasting legacy, but to say that Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a supreme work of world literature would be ridiculous.
In my personal opinion, Dickens is good at expressing emotions when Tolstoy is a philosopher who can show more of the reality by thoughts. To say easily, Dickens is heart when Tolstoy is mind.
I think common people admire Dickens when critics' vote will go for The Russian legend.
But both are individually incredible in their own fields what makes them "immortal" in the history of literature.
And Dickens has an impeccable sense of humor which always turns a writer to some kind of oracle. As it was with Moliere and Mark Twain. Leo Tolstoy on the other hand was an explorer and his contribution to the Russian 1812 war history is outstanding.
I agree...dickens appealed to the hearts
Dickens vs Tolstoy?! Two of my favorite authors in a battle?! Actors acting out scenes of their books?! I love EVERYTHING about this! (also the moderator is fantastic!)
Том Хиддлстон читает Толстого, нашу родную "Войну и мир", да ещё как читает! Что на свете может быть прекраснее?!
*Реву от умиления*
это Анна Каренина
«Война и Мир» тоже были))).
и Хаджи Мурат был нет ?
Now this was just lovely. The really wonderful thing about this debate (as well as the Brontë vs Austen) is that there’s no slamming against the opponent. Both men are equally appreciative of both authors, and very passionate about what they enjoy, rather than what they hate. That’s what I love to see. And what spectacular performances by the company! Timothy West... the lovely young lady who played Kitty (I forgot her name)... the little boy was amazing! And of course Tom Hiddleston is, as always, perfection.
i started watching for tom, but finished because zawe is soooo amazing in this one!
The young boy is so incredibly talented. I hope his parents protect him.
I find these type of program is very necessary. People need to have at least a peek at the wonderful literature that man has created throughout our history.
Thank you so much for posting it. I also came here because of Tom but then enjoyed all the performances.
Lord he's handsome....and yes the whole thing was good. Since I haven't read Tolstoy yet ..and very much like Dickens
I love you Tom. How he's enjoying and learning his Co stars do their dialogues .
I never know Dickens and Tolstoy can be so alive. It is great to hear the actors and actresses do the read aloud. They’re all magnificent artists. If only my teacher did something like this in class, I’d have like their works more.
As for Tom, I can see from his reaction that he’s really enjoy being there and listening to the enlightening debate between the 2 great professors.
Ah yes, a good old-fashioned Fog Off.
+
It makes me incredibly happy to see Tom enjoy Tolstoy
There’s something so universal about that moment in War and Peace. Not only was it performed here, but also the final moment in the musical “Natasha, Pierre, and the great comet of 1812”. It was portrayed in the final moments of the musical as this beautiful duet and chorus.
Came for Tom and stayed for all these incredible actors and the stories
What an interesting exercise.It was intense.And Tom Hiddleston shows all of his talent with classics.He's a shiny Actor.
1:15:58 The way that Tom looks at Zawe and kisses her hand is adorable!!! I know that they are in character, but I feel Tom truly mean the loving words!!! 😍